Boris Johnson has said schools, transport and the NHS should stay open “as far as possible” during the heatwave.
The UK Prime Minister said it was important to think back to the decision to open up the country after coronavirus, and balance the risk with the need to keep society open.
Addressing his last cabinet meeting as leader, Boris Johnson also said it “may be sometimes unfashionable” but being the first major economy to aim for net zero emissions was the “right thing to do”.
A subsea cable to transport power from renewable energy projects in the Western Isles to the mainland could be in place within the next eight years.
Electricity system operator, National Grid ESO, has said there was a requirement for a 1.8GW link by 2030 to help the UK meet offshore wind energy targets.
SSEN Transmission has been working on the cable project for almost 15 years.
Islands local authority, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, has been calling for a link since 2005.
Ofgem rejected giving approval to SSEN’s proposals for a 600MW cable in 2019.
The Channel Islands are enduring a second day of high temperatures after records were broken on Monday.
Jersey’s new environment minister said the States must prioritise the way people adapt to climate change after a high of 38C (100F) was recorded in St Helier on Monday.
The previous record for the islands was 36C (96.8F) in 2003.
Guernsey came close to matching its record on Monday and is expected to peak at 28C (82.4F) on Tuesday.
Jersey also hit its hottest recorded night time temperature reaching 25.5C (77.9F), beating its previous record of 22.3C (72.1F).
Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo is making good and steady progress, doctors in charge of the vice president’s care at the Duchess International Hospital, Ikeja, Lagos, say.
Osinbajo on July 16, had successful surgery on his thigh bone at Duchess International Hospital.
The Chief Executive Officer of the hospital, Dr. Adetokunbo Shitta-Bey, who gave the update on Tuesday in Lagos, said the vice president was making the sort of progress that was expected.
“He is a model patient; we have been able to observe in very close quarters, the very essence of the man.
“He is very compliant, listens to advice, and as such he is able to make the sort of progress that we expect.
“He is undergoing physiotherapy as part of his rehabilitation process.
“The multidisciplinary team that has been involved with his care has been very pleased with the progress that he is making,” he said.
Responding to a question about the affordability of Duchess International Hospital and quality of service, Shitta-Bey said that services at the facility were not expensive and not out of the reach of many Nigerians.
Read Also: Osinbajo’s Surgery: NMA tasks political office holders on Nigeria’s Health system
He commended the vice president for the choice of patronising a local hospital rather than embarking on medical tourism for a service that was available locally.
Shitta-Bey said that the affordability of the facility was among the reasons the vice president chose to have a medical procedure here in Nigeria.
“Just speaking in terms of access to affordable world-class health care, we are giving a lot of attention to the very highly emotive subject of access and taking deliberate steps to bring down the barriers that prevent people from accessing these essential services.
“I think this is largely what informed the vice president’s decision to have his procedure here at the Duchess International Hospital.
“The vice president is a national treasure and it is an honour to have him in our hospital.
“He receives the same level of safe, healthcare anyone who would come into the hospital would receive, of course, with additional considerations for security because it is a matter of national interest and security.”
The chief executive officer spoke further about what the hospital was doing to ensure access to affordable healthcare and reverse the trend in medical tourism.
“For example, to register at the Duchess International Hospital and see a doctor is not more than N5,000.
“We have a consultant-led service at the Duchess International Hospital.
“It is very important that the decisions that are made within the first few minutes are precise decisions.
“You are far more likely to see a specialist consultant within the first 10 minutes in the hospital unlike in other hospitals in Lagos, and so all of that contribute to the safety and security that patients have when they come in.
“It is also very important for us that the entire community is able to access the service.
“We are also focused on bringing our boys and girls back home; all of these contribute to the safe and secure environment that enables people to come and have the care that they need.”
He also spoke about taking deliberate steps to check capital flights as a result of medical tourism.
According to him, it is really important to have a range of services that will keep money and expertise within this country.
“It is precisely what the Duchess International Hospital represents.
“We need not one Duchess Hospital, this country needs about 50 Duchess Hospitals to improve access, bring down the cost of health care, access to essential services, and having specialists, front to end the services.
“Having a 24-hour emergency and critical care, having the right governance arrangement both clinically and administratively based on all the things that contribute to a robust environment,’’ he said.
On his part, the Medical Director of the hospital, Dr. Adedoyin Dosunmu-Ogunbi said Osinbajo was making steady progress.
“He is walking already, taking a few steps. You can imagine after major surgery in his right femur bone; that is very encouraging as he continues to recover.”
The medical director called for urgent reforms to revitalise healthcare delivery in Nigeria, noting that “the sector in Nigeria is highly under-resourced’’.
“All public officials in Nigeria should have their healthcare in Nigeria.
“If the treatment is available in Nigeria, then they should get it in Nigeria.
“And in many cases it is available, but if we do not have such services available in Nigeria then they can get it elsewhere,” he said.
Towering waves on Hawaii’s south shores crashed into homes and businesses, spilled across highways and upended weddings over the weekend.
The large waves — some more than 20 feet (6 meters) high — came from a combination of a strong south swell that peaked Saturday evening, particularly high tides and rising sea levels associated with climate change, the National Weather Service said.
Chris Brenchley, the meteorologist in charge at the National Weather Service office in Honolulu, said several factors came together to create such huge waves.
“Waves over 12 or 15 feet (3.66 or 4.57 meters), those become extremely big and really rare to have,” he said. “It’s the largest it’s been in several decades.”
Brenchley said the swell was produced in the South Pacific, where it’s currently the winter season.
“They had a particularly strong winter storm where the winds were focused directly toward places like Samoa and then further on to the north into Hawaii,” he said.
Remnants of Hurricane Darby passed south of Hawaii but had no major impact on the surf, he said.
While singular events like this hard to pin directly to climate change, Brenchley said the warming planet is playing a role.
“The most direct type of impact that we can use with climate change is the sea level rise. Any time you add just even small amounts of water, you raise that sea level just a little bit,” he said. “And now those impacts will be exacerbated whenever we have a large storm event or a … high, high tide.”
Most large summer swells that come from the south are no bigger than about 10 feet (3 meters), which would trigger a high surf advisory.
“We had some waves that were reaching 20 feet (6 meters), 20 feet-plus even,” Brenchley said. “That’s getting on the level of historic.”
Hawaii’s north shores, where professional surfers often compete, usually get much larger waves than other parts of the islands.
The predominant swell hits the north shores in the winter and the south shores in the summer.
Jack Boy Hill, also known as Jack Boy Hill Viewing Facility, is known to be the best place where people can observe the still active Soufrière Hills volcano which is located in the eastern part near the sea on the British Overseas Territory of Montserrat.
Being a great vantage point for panoramic viewing of the volcano, the landscape is at its grittiest and harshest one as visitors can witness from first hand the great devastation Soufrière Hills did when it erupted constantly between 1995 and 1999.
Although the facility is small, it has a viewing platform with fixed binoculars which can take every visitor closer to the destroyed W. H. Bramble Airport, the old estate house, the site of destroyed eastern villages which are all covered by volcanic pyroclastic flows, in addition to the volcano itself.
There is also picnic areas, barbecue pit, washrooms, a mini trail and landscaped grounds that offer an even better experience to the visitor willing to learn and explore more this phenomenon.
Visitors are usually hiking up and down the Jack Boy Hill, however those that are seeking a longer and even more strenuous and adventurous experience may also continue onward from the site to the higher Katy Hill and other points beyond.
Still, it is a perfectly great spot for people to enjoy in the somewhat tranquil nature that is nowadays present on Montserrat, which might be interrupted once again by another strong eruption.
1595 Astronomer Johannes Kepler has an epiphany and develops his theory of the geometrical basis of the universe while teaching in Graz
1843 The steamship SS Great Britain is launched, designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, is the first ocean-going craft with an iron hull or screw propeller and the largest vessel afloat in the world
1848 1st US women’s rights convention held in Seneca Falls NY, organised by Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott
1941 British PM Winston Churchill launches his “V for Victory” campaign
Historical Events Today
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Today In Music
1913 Billboard publishes earliest known “Last Week’s 10 Best Sellers Among Popular Songs”; “Malinda’s Wedding Day” by singers Byron Harlan and Arthur Collins is #1 (recorded in Camden, New Jersey)
Today In Sport
1877 1st Wimbledon Men’s Tennis: 27-year-old English rackets player Spencer Gore wins inaugural event; beats William Marshall 6-1, 6-2, 6-4
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Famous Weddings
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No fewer than 24 out of the 34 local government areas of Katsina State have been declared Open Defecation Free (ODF), the Clean Nigeria Campaign has said.
The Coordinator of the campaign, Mrs. Chizoma Opara, disclosed this on Monday in Katsina at the opening of a 2-day Northwest zonal retreat on ‘Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet’ campaign.
Represented by her Deputy, Alhaji Musa Lawal, Mrs. Opara said that the best results of the Clean Nigeria Campaign were recorded in the North West, particularly in Katsina and Jigawa.
“These two states are already far ahead of other states, with Jigawa almost being declared as state-wide ODF, with 26 out of 27 LGAs already declared Open Defecation Free, while 24 out of 34 LGAs in Katsina State are Open Defecation Free.
“At this point, therefore, I wish to commend the Katsina State Government for taking the lead to host the first zonal review meeting for the North-West and to showcase the success stories from the zone.
“I also charge you to intensify your efforts in achieving the state-wide Open Defecation Free for the entire zone,” the coordinator said.
Chizoma expressed the hope that other states in the zone would learn from the two states and take home key action points to drive the campaign to the next level.
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“They should also contribute to our national aspiration. We must also explore the option of private sector involvement, which will increase the uptake of public toilets,” she added.
The coordinator explained that the campaign was aimed at mobilising high-level political support, resources, and the entire populace toward building a new culture of safe sanitation.
“Following the national launch of the campaign, many states followed suit with the launch of their state-level campaigns and target dates which ranged from 2022 to 2025.
“As of December 2021, all states have launched their campaigns which is a good indication of the commitment to driving the campaign.
“However, despite these state-level official launches, not much is going on regarding implementation and achievement of results in meeting the campaign objectives in many states,” she noted.
She said there was no commensurate allocation of human and financial resources needed to drive the campaign in most states and LGAs.
“As of May 2022, 83 Open Defecation Free LGAs have been recorded. While this is good progress, it is not significant enough to put us on the course of our national target of an Open Defecation Free Nigeria by 2025.
“Also, the spread of the 83 Open Defecation Free LGAs is limited to 12 out of the 36 states and the FCT. This means that 24 states and the FCT have not been able to contribute any Open Defecation Free LGAs to the national statistics,” she said.
Earlier, the Executive Secretary, Katsina State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA), Aminu Dayyabu, said the retreat was an opportunity for participants to restrategise on ending open defecation.
“Katsina State has already gone far with the current total number of 24 LGAs that have attained Open Defecation Free status. This was achieved through the support of the state government.
“The government under the leadership of Gov. Aminu Masari has been supporting such efforts through funding and providing enabling environment to our agency,” he added.
According to reports, the retreat was organised by the Katsina State Government in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Water Resources.
Odile Ahouanwanou is set to be among the contenders for heptathlon gold at the World Athletics Championships this month, but things could have been very different for the reigning African champion.
Football was the 31-year-old’s first love, and she was good enough to play internationally for Benin.
But a lack of investment and support left many players in the West African country frustrated – an all-too-familiar state of affairs in the women’s game across the continent in recent years – and led to her quitting and focusing on athletics instead.
“I started very young with football because I have older brothers, cousins who played. At home we had a big yard, so we would always play football,” she told BBC Sport Africa.
“I was the captain of my club for years. I played for the Benin national team, but I was disappointed with football because of politics in Benin.
“In terms of women’s football, it’s not what I expected. As a result, I had to withdraw a little from professional football.
“I was still playing, but only for fun, and at the same time I was also doing athletics in primary and secondary school. I would often beat everyone but I just couldn’t see myself in athletics – it was all about football.
“Until one day in 2007, I became Benin national champion in the high jump and everything changed.”
Since then, Ahouanwanou has not looked back.
After building some stability in her new sport, it took a lot of convincing from her coach for Ahouanwanou to look at the bigger picture and opt to compete in the heptathlon.
The discipline pits women against each other in seven different track and field events; 100m hurdles, high jump, shot put, 200m, long jump, javelin and finally the 800m.
The points earned in each race, throw and jump are then added up to find the overall winner.
“I discovered the heptathlon through my coach,” she added.
“He told me of the events and I said to myself, when is he going to finish listing them? Because he was going on and on – 100m, high jump, shot put… I said, ‘but when will it stop?’.”
After initial scepticism, Ahouanwanou began to embrace her new-found role.
“Well, I first did high jump, I won, and then I did the heptathlon and I finished third,” she said.
“And after that I got a scholarship that took me to Mauritius where I spent about seven months before the 2012 African Championships in Benin. I finished sixth in that championship and I was so proud because I had just started the event.”
Opening a new chapter in life has since stretched her physical and mental abilities to the hilt.
Ahouanwanou became the first Beninois to win a gold medal at the African Championships back in 2018, before retaining her title in Mauritius last month.
But despite being a renowned heptathlete on the continent, she still believes there is a lot of room for improvement.
“I think there are a lot of things that I still have to learn because…naturally I’m not athletic,” she admitted.
“I have the body for it, but I had to learn a lot of things in athletics.
“I learned to jog, to stand tall. I learned to have the technique, the necessary gestures. I learned a lot and I continue to learn. I think that’s also my strength. And now, I’m progressing day by day and I’m proud of that.”
A year after conquering the continent for the first time, Ahouanwanou became one of few African heptathletes to finish in the top 10 at a World Athletics Championships.
She was eighth at the Doha Games back in 2019, announcing herself to the world, but she prefers to look back at her success in Asaba, southern Nigeria, four years ago as her best career accomplishment.
“My biggest day I would say was the African Championships.” she said.
“Since 1960, Benin had never had a medal in athletics at the African Championships. When I heard the national anthem in Asaba… the stadium was packed. When you see everyone get up for your country’s national anthem, it gives you goosebumps.”
At the delayed 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Ahouanwanou finished in 15th place, having been fifth after the first four events.
She is now hoping to emulate Ghana’s Margaret Simpson, the only African to earn a heptathlon medal at the World Championships having taken bronze in Helsinki in 2005.
But before that, Ahouanwanou is picking up valuable lessons along the way as she hopes to inspire other young athletes on the continent.
“I learned that I have to be patient,” she said.
“I’ve been hurt, many, many, many times. Several times I wanted to stop. But what made me strong is also my dream, of getting people to know about my country wherever I go.
“I encourage all the girls. Really, if they want to do something… they have to go all out, to give themselves the necessary means. That is to say on the psychological, moral side, to be prepared – because there can be a lot of things that can come up.
“We have the ability. Often it is said that a woman’s place is in the kitchen. No, the woman can do anything now. Women can do anything men do.
“And fortunately, the men understood that too. So, you have to let women blossom.”
A two-time African champion, Ahouanwanou is attracting the spotlight before the World Championships start in Eugene, Oregon, on Friday, 15 July.
Leaving ‘the beautiful game’ in Benin proved to be an inspired decision.
Austria’s Dominic Thiem spoke of his relief after winning his first match on the ATP Tour since May 2021.
The 2020 US Open champion, 28, spent nine months out with a wrist injury.
He lost his first seven matches after returning to action in March before beating Finland’s Emil Ruusuvuori 3-6 6-1 7-6 (7-5) at the Bastad Open.
“It’s a long time. My last victory was in Rome in 2021, it feels like a different world somehow,” said Thiem, 28.
“Many, many things happened. It was tough, but it was also a very good experience I think, for life in general. I’m so happy that I got this first victory here today.”
Thiem claimed his only grand slam title at Flushing Meadows in September 2020, coming from two sets down to beat Germany,’s Alexander Zverev in the final.
He has also twice made the final of the French Open, finishing runner-up to Rafael Nadal in 2018 and 2019, and was beaten by Novak Djokovic in the final of the 2020 Australian Open.
It has been a long road back for Thiem sinceretiring from a match against Adrain Mannarnho rin Mallorca 14 months ago. In that time he has fallen from fifth to 339th in the world rankings.
The Austrian chose not to play at Wimbledon, dropping down to the Challenger Tour, where he registered a win in Salzburg last week.
His next match in the second round at Bastad is against Spain’s fourth seed Roberto Bautista Agut.
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